June 1908

Monday 1st   There was a frost this morning.  It was a very fine day, but very cold first thing in the morning.  Willie went down to the Post Office first thing after breakfast, and brought home a packet of flower seeds that came by post from Nimmo & Blair, Dunedin.  In the morning I was cutting tea tree down the barley paddock fence.  In the pm I made a fire in the front garden to burn periwinckle, afterwards cut tea tree in the front.
Alma & Agnes returned home.

Tuesday 2nd   It was a fine day, but not so cold as yesterday as the wind has changed to the SE.
In the morning I went down to the P.O to post a letter and to get the mail.  The remainder of the day I was working in the flower garden.

Wednesday 3rd   It was a fine day, but dull, the wind is from SE.
I was working in the flower garden.  Jane went down to the Steamer in the pm and got the mail.

Thursday 4th   It was a dull day and threatening for rain, the wind is blowing from the NE.  I was working in the flower garden.  It came on to rain steadily in the evening accompanied by wind, I did not go down to the mail or Library.

Friday 5th   It was a showery day.

Saturday 6th   It was fine in the morning.  Willie went out fishing in the afternoon with Mabel and Johanna McKenzie but not catch many.  I was down at the Post Office in the afternoon also got some sand.  Mr Handby came in the evening and told me that there was a meeting of the Hall committee this evening, so I went down with him.  When I return home Jim was here playing cards.

Sunday 7th   The weather was pretty fair.  Jane went to spend the day at Joe Wyatts & Willie rode to Ti Point, both returning in the evening.  I staid at home.
Mr Bottomly was to have held service in the Hall this afternoon, but I did not go down as it was showery in the afternoon.

Monday 8th   It rained nearly all day, we were unable to do anything outside.

Tuesday 9th   It was a fine day.   The ground is very wet.  The wind is from the NW veering round later on to the W.  In the morning I was cutting tea tree in the front.  I the afternoon I sowed seeds of the following in boxes.  Mixed Pamsy,  Ononis Rolundifolia & Cabbage.
Mrs A. Wyatt and children were here for dinner.  Willie went to Walter Frearson & got 7 Passion Fuit Plants which he planted late in the afternoon.

Wednesday 10th   It was a beautiful day, wind at SW.  In the morning I rode over to Mrs Richard Knaggs at Ti Point and she gave me a lot of cuttings and young flower plants, and I was planting them out in the pm.  Willie caught 11 Fowls to send away with some of Ab Wyatts and he and Ab carried the crate down to the wharf in the evening.

Thursday 11th   It was a fine day.  In the morning I was planting the cuttings I got from Mrs D. Knaggs.  In the afternoon Willie and I went down to meet the Steamer as we expected Noel Wallace, he came by the “Daphne“.
In the evening I went down for the mail and to attend the Library, there was a meeting of the Farmers Association.  Mr H. Brown, County Councellor came to give us an account of his stewardship  –  it was a large meeting and very stormy.

Friday 12th   It was a fine day.  Willie sold the white steer to Willie Harper for £3 . 15 . 0  and he took it away this morning.  Willie and Noel walked over to Ti Point returning in the evening.
Mr & Mrs Archie Dunning, Jim & Mabel came to spend the evening, we played at cribbage.  Mabel staid all night .  There were some heavy showers in the evening.

Saturday 13th   It was a fine day.  We got up early as Noel is returning to Auckland this morning.  Willie is also going up.  When Willie went to milk he found that poor old Spider the working bullock was dead, in crossing the swamps in the front he slipped with his feet up hill and he was not able to rise again,  he has been a faithfull old bullock and has done a lot of work for us.  We buried him in the swamp.  I went down to the wharf to see Noel & Willie off, the “Daphne” and “Kawau” came in about the same time, the latter boat got all the passengers.
I was working in the flower garden.  Jane rode to Matakana to witness a football match between Omaha and Warkworth.

Sunday 14th   It was a dull day.  Rev E. O. Perry (Presbyterian) conducted services in the Hall in the afternoon and evening.  Jane and I went in the afternoon and Jane also went in the evening.  May Dunning was here for tea.

Monday 15th   It was a showery day.   In the morning I went down to the Hall to see the organ as the rats have got into it and have
injured it.
In the afternoon between the showers I was getting firewood.

Tuesday 16th   It was fine in the morning.  I rode over to the Claim to get Mr Whitaker to repair our organ, he was working on the Domain so I had not so far to go, I returned home for dinner and only just in time as it rained very heavily and continued all afternoon.

Wednesday 17th   It was a very cold day, the wind must be nearly S, it was dull, but did not rain.  In the morning I was cutting tea tree in the front.  In the afternoon I went down to the Hall, also got some sand from the beach.  Jane was down to the Steamer, but there was no mail.

Thursday 18th   It was a fine day.  Very cold.  When I got up in the morning I found that I had a bad cold.  I wrote a letter to Henry and Jane wrote to Jack and I posted the letter this morning.  I was down to the “Kawau” when she went away.  During the day I was working in the flower garden.  In the evening I went down to the Post Office, also attended the Library, there was a meeting of Trustees to choose new books.

Friday 19th   It was a fine day, but very cold.  I was working in the flower garden & getting wood.

Saturday 20th   It was a fine day.  There was a frost this morning and we are experiencing very cold weather lately.
I went down to the Hall after breakfast, Mr Whitaker came over and we fixed up the organ so that it plays better than ever.  We had dinner at Harpers.

Sunday 21st   It was a beautiful day.  The Quarterly meeting of the Bible Class was held this morning.  Jane went,  Mabel came up with Jane and spent the day here.  In the afternoon I took a walk down to the village and wharf.

Monday 22nd   It was a fine day.  In the morning I sowed Onion seed in an old washing tub, also cut a lot of firewood on the hill.  Jane was down at Ab Wyatts doing some sewing.
In the afternoon I went down to the village to post some letters and I brought up some sand.  Jane made Tomato pickle.

Tuesday 23rd   It was fine in the morning to’ dull, the wind is blowing pretty strong from the NE.
I was clearing out the drains up at the stock yard and cow shed.  Also dug in the flower garden.  In the afternoon it looked as if it were coming on to rain, so I got a stock of firewood.
At 3 pm it commenced to rain and rained steadily all afternoon.  I went down to the wharf to meet the “Daphne” thinking that Willie might send me a parcel, but none came.  The “Daphne” had a very rough trip.  Mr & Mrs Banks and Mrs Spencer came up by her.
W. Brown sent away by her a quantity of Harpuka which he caught at Mokohinau.

Wednesday 24th   There was a good deal of rain last night, consequently everything was very wet this morning.  The morning was fine, but there was a heavy shower about noon and slight ones in the afternoon.
Jane went down to John Wyatts to spend the day.
In the morning I cleared all the manure that was lying about & put it on the heap.  In the afternoon I went into the bush and got a punga to make a vase for the flower garden.

Thursday 25th   It was a showery day.  In the morning I was getting firewood, after dinner I went down to the wharf, the “Kawau” came in from Auckland, Mr Torkington came up in her, Willie sent my boots by him.  In the evening it rained steadily and I did not go down to the mail or Library.

Friday 26th   It was a very showery day.  In the morning I went to Joe Wyatts to take a boot to be repaired, then I went down for the mail and changed some books at the Library.
In the afternoon I went down to the “Kawau” as I expected Willie to come by her, but he did not arrive.  I carried up a coil of netting wire.

Saturday 27th   It was a showery day.  In the morning I was getting firewood.  In the afternoon I went over to Joe Wyatts for my boots, then I went down to the wharf and carried up the other roll of netting wire, afterwards I was getting tea tree stakes to hang the netting on.  Jane rode to the Claim with Mabel to witness a football match between Matakana & Omaha, the former won.

Sunday 28th   It was a fine day.  Revd Entrican (Presbyterian) of Warkworth held his first service in the Hall in the morning, Jane and I went, afterwards we went to Joe Wyatts for dinner, in the afternoon I went up to Mr Handbys where I had tea, returned home in time to feed the fowls and milk the cows.
Jane went to the Bible Class in the evening.

Monday 29th   There was a heavy shower after I had milked in the morning, but it was fine the remainder of the day.
I was putting in tea tree stakes round the front garden to support the wire netting.
Jane went down to meet the “Kawau” in the afternoon thinking that Willie was coming by her, but he did not.

Tuesday 30th   It was a showery day.  I was putting tea tree stakes round the front garden fence to hang the netting on.